You've heard of Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, but do you know about Fat Thursday? In Poland, it's a special day dedicated to eating sweetsforbidden during Lent, especially doughnut-like pączki (pronounced "paunch-ki").

Think the Mallomar owns the chocolate-covered marshmallow? Think again. The sweet, spongy treat was actually created in Denmark in the 1800s and has gone by several names, mainly the flødeboller, which translates into "cream bun" or more loosely, "snowball."

A baking class in Germany's Black Forest set the tone for what was soon to become my new life as a student and budding pastry chef. Here, on a misty morning among the region's densely wooded hills, I learned how to make the classic Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, or Black Forest cake.

When I stepped off the ferry at Les Saintes, part of the archipelago of Guadeloupe, several island women approached me with colorful, madras-lined baskets filled with the tourment d'amour, a tart-like cake that translates into the "agony of love."

First developed in Bergen in the 1890s, the soft, doughy skillingsbolle (cinnamon bun) originally sold for just a schilling, but is more than worth it even at today's 24 kroner price tag. Of course, you could always make it yourself.

Sébastien Gaudard's white currant tarts called out to me through the window, pulling me into the Parisian shop that’s as airy and elegant as the pastries inside. So when I found rare white currants with similar serendipity at my local farmers' market, I knew I had to recreate them.

While cruising down a two-lane highway on a weekend trip to Maine, a road sign painted with the words “fresh blueberries!” flashed before my eyes. I hit the brakes and pulled into a roadside farm stand. The tiny wild bleuets were in their prime, and that could only signal one thing: That it was high time for pie.

While the resemblance to Pop-Tarts is striking, the differences in freshness and homemade quality will win you over as soon as you take a bite. Direct from the oven instead of the box, these traditional Danish bars will have you bypassing the toaster and aiming right for your mouth.

Berry sweet and served cold, rødgrød med fløde (red berry pudding with cream) refreshes on hot afternoons and can be made all summer long as red fruits—such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, or even rhubarb—come in and out of season. Use the same recipe week after week but never have the same porridge twice.

While pavlova is angelic in look and taste, it's a bit controversial: Originally made for Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova in the early 1900s, both Australia and New Zealand claim it. And while the dessert's origin is fun to debate, it's even more fun to make, especially in miniature single servings.

June heralds summer and strawberry season. And so chilled strawberry pies were a staple at my family's lake house. While we never really used a recipe, I've added some rhubarb I picked up at my farmers market—along with the strawberries—and took notes during my latest edition.

Created by Franz Sacher in 1832, the Sachertorte is not only the most famous cake in Vienna, but also arguably the world. As the legend goes, when the head chef fell ill, his 16-year-old apprentice was tasked with making the chocolate cake for a statesman's dinner party. The rest is history. - As seen on SmarterTravel.com